Beauty And The Servant Boy
by GirlOfFrost
Summary: Karkat Vantas, servant to the noble Makara family and Nepeta Leijon, the girl who's suppose to win his Moirail's heart. As each live their respective lives neither can help but notice the other, causing both to question what is more important. Duty to your family or the chance to be with the one made perfectly for you? Rated M for future chapters. Mainly includes Katnep and Kurlin.
1. Mutant

**So the first chapter of my latest project, Medievalstuck. Not very long but hopefully it's enough to give you the gist of what's going to be happening. Mainly Nepkat but other pairings will be featured throughout it. Feel free to leave any comments in the reviews and constructive criticism and suggestions are always welcome. There may be slight ooc at times and for that I apologize. **

**I don't own the characters, all that belongs to Andrew Hussie, aka God. **

Karkat Vantas. Worthless. Slave. Mutant. Things he had been hearing his entire life, things that he knew were wholeheartedly true and undeniable. But as long as he could survive none of those words mattered the need to survive and his refusal to lay down and allow himself to die were the only things keeping him alive. Life meant keeping his head down, keeping his mouth shut, working until he collapsed, keeping the nightmares at bay. As pointless and as worthless as this life seemed there had to be some reason to keep on living. He forced himself to believe that. Karkat had seen countless others come and go, dying when they couldn't keep up with the work they had been given or for merely displeasing their masters, seeing them die only made him to want to keep on living even more. He couldn't let himself become like that. To die with tears streaming down his face as he pleaded for his life from a man who didn't even know what the word mercy meant, there would be nothing more shameful than that for him.

Working in the main home of the noble Makara family had little to no perks. They were strange in more than a few ways, with the Lord of the keep the leading figure in one of the few allowed religions under the Empress's reign. He could count the amount of times he had come into contact with The Grand Highblood on one hand and for that he was grateful. Dealing with the two young lords Gamzee and Kurloz was more than enough for him, even if Gamzee was the only reason he had been allowed to live in the first place. The fool had decided he had liked Karkat as he and his brother had gone though the slave market and since that fateful day Karkat had found himself here living under their rule. Gamzee was a helpless idiot but Karkat tried his best with him. A life for a life. That was the way the world worked, wasn't it?

Karkat found himself outside working in the near unbearable heat of the Alternian sun. Because of the sheer power of its rays many found it completely unbearable to work beneath its light, the higher on the bloodcaste the worse its effects on any particular Troll. For Karkat, as a mutant, the sun's affect wasn't pleasant but at least it didn't burn his skin black within the hour. Still, it was hell on his eyes as he squinted against the hellish light and into the distance. The Makara's were expecting guests at some point today, but than again when were they not? The two males were of marrying age and even though many women were fearful of them, the prospect of marrying into such an old and noble family was more than enough to get them to come flocking in. As it stood no one had succeeded in impressing the duo. Besides, their father would never allow them to become Matesprits with 'motherfucking lowblood scum'.

Rubbing at his tired eyes Karkat turned away from the harsh glare and receded back inside to the kitchens, hoping that he would be able to get something substantial to eat for once. The chances were slim to none. There were very few others who would talk to him, many unnerved by his mutant blood and the alien bright red of his eyes, some even feared that by showing him any form of kindness it would get them killed. At least he would get Gamzee's scraps. Blinking as his eyes adjusted to this new darkness Karkat made his way through the kitchen, weaving in and out of the throng of constantly moving chefs who were trying to keep up with the constant demand of food for all those who lived here. Even he didn't know the exact number that lived here with him. Winding halls, practically abandoned wings, an uncountable amount of rooms, serving quarters that seemed to stretch for miles with each room overflowing with people, then there were those who had no place to rest, who had to find corners in the kitchens, the stables or anywhere else habitable. Karkat himself favored the stables when he was able to get enough time to climb up into the rafters and find somewhere warm and dark to sleep. Not that he slept much. Only the rich who could afford Soper Slime held that luxury of sleeping with ease. No, Karkat and everyone like him worked until they dropped. Less chance of the horrid nightmares that haunted their species.

In the corridors maids were rushing too and fro trying to finish preparing everything for tonight. A feast was being organized to honor their latest guests and when there was a feast there was always the uninvited who assumed they would naturally be getting somewhere to sleep off their drunkess, so naturally beds were made available to keep a good name up for the family. Not only was there the uninvited guests that they would have to worry about but there was the invited guests of course. It was the Leijon family coming this time, wasn't it? A family of mostly women from what he had heard from the whispers of maids. What were they like? Stuck up highbloods? Ambitious midbloods? Desperate lowbloods? He knew he would be forced to interact with them to a certain degree, being Gamzee's assumed Moirail. Karkat had taken it upon himself to make sure Gamzee wasn't constantly making a fool of himself by not remembering names and titles, so he would remain in the background and whisper tidbits to him when needed. Perhaps it was that usefulness that kept him alive since Karkat was one of the few who Gamzee would let near him. The fickle personality of a Juggalo was not something that Karkat was going to spend his life questioning, no he had work to do.

Worked consisted of cleaning rooms from top to bottom, bringing food up to those Highbloods who requested it, dressing and preparing Gamzee for the day, cleaning the main hall along with numerous others and any other job that someone ordered him to do. It was more than tempting to throw his hands in the air and give them a piece of his mind at times but that would be the stupid thing to do, the thing that would get him locked in the dungeons with no food or water until they decided to kill him or Gamzee figured out that he was gone. Again. How many times had Karkat found himself in the dungeons in the past? Starving, cold, alone, dying of thirst and counting down the seconds until his body finally chose to give up the fight only to be pulled out by the hair and dragged up the stone steps to his saviors feet. Gamzee would give him that unnerving sharp toothed grin and ask him where he had been as he smoked on the long pipe, green smoke clouding the air around them as Karkat struggled to speak through his destroyed throat and give him a pathetic excuse for being gone for so long.

He snapped out from his own thoughts as the sound of approaching horses and carriages reached his ears, along with the other curious workers he peeked out from the nearest window watching as the black lion head on the forest green banner grew closer and closer with a parade of horses, knights, servants and carriages with the family's belongings. The main gate was opened as the servants were ordered out of the main hall to make room for these new guests. Karkat barely caught a glimpse of the mother. Her long hair braided down her back, with thin streaks of gray discoloring it. Her long green dress was cut so that was able to ride her large black steed with ease, swishing around her legs as one of her knights helped her off. To his slight disappointment he was unable to see the two daughters. Against his better judgment he couldn't help but wonder what they looked like, he had overheard several others complimenting the women on their rumored beauty. It was the eldest, Muelin, who was suppose to be the main attraction for this visit, her mother hoping that she would make a good match for Kurloz. The younger girl was suppose to be around Gamzee's age and if that match worked then everything would be going perfectly to plan for them. Karkat strongly doubted that it would work out that easily.

Strange new accents echoed down the stone corridors, seeming to echo endlessly around him as continued with the preparations for that night. The rumor mill among the servants had started turning already, gossiping about these strangers clothes, hair, accents, how the Lady Muelin had already dared to try and introduce herself to the young Lord Kurloz, how her sister was still keeping to herself with the family's Lusus and a million other trivial pieces of supposed information. Why Karkat found it so fascinating to listen in was beyond even him, but listen in he did. By the time everything was ready and the guests were sitting down to dine Karkat found himself already being tired of their presence, even though he had yet to truly interact with any of them. It was going to be a long night. An even longer week.

As he carried dishes from the kitchen he looked around, a little overwhelmed by all of these new faces, each new face just another person to judge him at one look at his mutant red eyes. He had been through this a thousand times yet each one was still somehow worse than the last. Keeping his gaze downcast Karkat weaved in and out of the throng of Trolls, trying to keep himself as small as possible while also trying to not be gauged by a moving head topped with sharp horns much larger than his own. A hand suddenly grabbing at his sleeve caused him to freeze.

Slowly Karkat turned, daring to raise his eyes to whomever it was that had dug their nails into his arm. Short black hair cut in closely around her face, wide olive tinted eyes with a cat like slit down their center instead of a normal pupil, a heart shaped face, medium toned gray skin, pursed black lips and a quizzical expression on her face. He had never seen her before in his life, she must be one of the strangers, perhaps a favored one of their servant girls whom they kept close to them? The younger Troll gasped in seemingly sudden realization, her mouth forming a tiny o as her eyes took their time looking him up and down, stopping as she met his own.

"So you're the mutant."


	2. Chapter 2

**I give you chapter two of Beauty and the Serving Boy. Hopefully you guys enjoy it just as much as the first, if not more. I must admit I'm seriously overwhelmed by how well you guys seemed to like chapter one! I'm extremely flattered right now and am still fangirling over your reviews. **

**I'd like to mention a few things though, just for future reference while reading this. Muelin is not deaf and Kurloz hasn't chopped out his tongue and sewed his mouth closed (though his make up makes it look like he has) this is because well they haven't met and so Kurloz couldn't of been able to deafen her. So this stays the same with all disabilities that happen within and during the course of the game. Though I wont promise none of these _wont_ happen and I wont promise that they_ will _happen either. So without further ado I give you chapter two. Enjoy! R &R **

**Disclaimer: Homestuck is not mine and is the property of Andrew Hussie.**

* * *

Bewilderment was the first emotion to register in Karkat's mind. Very few times in his life had someone directly stated his mutation like this girl had. Normally it was sly comments from pursed lips as they looked him up and down in disdain, or the subtle inching away from the thing that was just so _different _from the rest of them. Still, even as he struggled to wrap his mind around what just happened she just kept on looking at him, her gaze never faltering for even a second. She was curious from the looks of it and more than a little intrigued if not nervous. What surprised him the most was that there was no out right disgust, or none that was apparent at least.

"Yes." Simple and curt as he stated the obvious with a slight nod of his head. How many seconds had passed since she had first said something? It couldn't have possibly been more than three but those three had seemed to stretch on an eternity as his mind had spun around. Now though it was time to get back to his senses, to push away all thoughts of the curious green-eyed serving girl. He forced himself to look away and to the rest of the loud, bustling hall as voices rose and fell in laughter, the clinking of plates and cups, swishing skirts and stomping boots and countless more little things clouding his senses before he flicked his eyes to hers once more. She was still looking at him as if she had a million and one questions to ask him. Her gaze made him uncomfortable as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"Am I free to go now?" His jaw clenched. He was getting too antsy to stay still here for too much longer. Whether it was his own self conscious or not he felt as if they were drawing more unwanted attention the longer that he stayed here with her.

"Was I keeping you from something important?" She blinked up at him head tilting to the side. "My apologies, yes...you're free to go." She was either naive or stupid...or playing it anyway. He wasn't quite sure yet but he wasn't going to spend his night asking himself pointless questions. He gave her a little nod, ignoring the tiny smile she gave him in return as he left her. These foreigners were certainly weird, their serving girls far more bold than the ones that Karkat was use to. For the rest of the night Karkat remembered to keep his head down, only moving in to do a chore when it was required of him. He snuck up to Gamzee to remind him of the titles of Lords and Ladies which he forgot, quickly moving away once more at a glance from Kurloz. To his utmost pleasure their father only turned up near the end, greeting their guests with all the refinement a man like him could posses, which was very little. He played his part just well enough to not offend anyone right off the bat. Lady Leijon thanked him with a gracious smile, saying how she was very grateful for the care they had been receiving under his care. The polite words were traded back and fourth for a few minutes before The Grand Highblood made his exit claiming that there were important matters he had to attend to. There was no question in anyone's mind on what those matters would include, the shady rituals of the Subjuggulator were something that no one dared to question.

It was only later that night that he allowed himself to look towards the serving girl once more as she exited the hall with the rest of the women from her house. She seemed smaller now among the other women then when she had tried to talk to him, she had a petite figure compared to Muelin or at least it seemed much smaller as they linked arms, heads close together as they seemed to whisper to one another. Karkat's first guess must of been right, she must be a serving girl who was close to the family or maybe another Lady, a cousin perhaps? Her clothes seemed to simple for her to be the other sister, right? Far too plain for the youngest daughter of the Leijon family he concluded. Right as she and Meulin went to cross the threshold she paused, her head turning just enough so that she could look behind her. Their eyes connected for just a second before Karkat looked away and back down to the dirty table in front of him. When he looked up again they were gone leaving just the echo of their voices as they went.

* * *

He didn't see her for the next two days, though it wasn't as if he was keeping an eye out for her. Or at least that was what he told himself constantly whenever he found himself taking a closer look at the strangers who surrounded him. Late on the second day as the sun cast the castle in a dim glow as it set he saw her again. Karkat was making his all too usual route between the cellar and Gamzee's chambers, holding a far too delicate glass vial tightly in his hand. He heard her far before he saw her. The sound of hurried footsteps was carried down the corridor followed by a worried whisper of; "Muelin? Muelin where did you go? Mother has been looking for you all afternoon." At first he didn't recognize the voice but after hearing the chant a few times it finally clicked. The serving girl... But why would she refer to Muelin's mother as her own as well...unless...

It was a slightly horrifying realization that the 'serving girl' could possibly be Nepeta Leijon. Lady Nepeta Leijon. He had treated her with little to no respect, brushing her off as if they were both of the same servant level. At the time it hadn't seemed as if the disrespect had bothered her but there was always the possibility that her mind could of been changed. Trying not to let his thoughts consume him as they always seemed to do Karkat kept his eyes on the ground as he went to pass the frantically searching girl. Her worry seemed to be coming off of her in waves, just how long had she been searching for Muelin?

It wasn't his problem, right now his job was to get this tiny vial to Gamzee before his mood began to shift once more. Consuming Soper Slime was the only known way to keep Gamzee in check. Or at least it was the only way they had figured out as of yet. He twisted it around in his fingers as he thought for the millionth time about how it must be to be able to drown oneself in the effect of Soper Slime.

"You there, I need some help...please." He had drifted off in his own mind, her snapping voice forcing him back to reality. Karkat stopped, tucking the vial into his pocket before turning to look as he bowed his head in his newly found respect for the lady. If she really was who he thought she was.

"My sister has been missing all day," She sounded tired, little black bags beneath her eyes proving his assumption."When I went to get her for breakfast this morning she was already gone, no one has seen her since last night." Her fingers twisted themselves into the light green fabric of her gown as she paused biting her lip in worry as she seemed to debate something. "She hasn't been acting like herself lately, maybe I'm over reacting, mother says I am, but I can't help but to worry about her. Please if you've seen her anywhere or if you see her let me know immediately." She took a long, deep breath as she composed herself. Karkat felt overwhelmed with the emotions pouring off of her in waves. He didn't know her or her sister, didn't know what it was like to be worried about someone whose blood you shared. But, watching her panic made pity and guilt twist his gut. Pity from watching her suffer and guilt because there was no helpful news he could give. If he had gone past Muelin he hadn't noticed.

"I haven't seen your sister my Lady, I don't imagine her being anywhere that I would be frequenting to be honest. Perhaps someone from your own house would know more? One of our maids may be of more use to you as well." His suggestions sounded weak even to him, if she had been looking for her sister for any length of time she would of already thought to ask them. "Has your sister befriended anyone during your stay here so far? She could be with them." It wasn't entirely impossible, in fact it could be quite likely. As Karkat watched Nepeta's face turn sour he could tell it was the exact answer she hadn't wanted to hear.

"Then would you be so kind as to show me where Kurloz would be." It was obvious from the second she said it that Kurloz was the last person she wanted to see. Honestly, he didn't blame her. Kurloz was far more terrifying than Gamzee could ever be in Karkat's opinion. There was something unnerving about his silence, the way the black paint went over his lips as if they were sewn together. In Karkat's mind the most terrifying thing about Kurloz was the way he could control you with just a look, the way that he could keep you from remembering anything that you did. Karkat damned him to the deepest depths of hell for beginning to teach Gamzee how to do it. The secret talent of the Maraka's.

"I don't think bringing you there would be the brightest of ideas , Kurloz doesn't take well to surprise visitors." Going there was the last thing he wanted to do, besides he still had to get to Gamzee before he got too moody before his daily dose of Slime.

"If you won't take me there then can you at least tell me where to go? Or tell me where someone who will is?" Karkat avoided her eyes, looking around them as he thought.

There was always the chance that Muelin wasn't even with Kurloz, she could of hidden herself in a number of places within the castle walls. Nepeta could always be over reacting about her sister being gone, she even told him that her mother believed she was. This wasn't something he wanted to do but she was still looking at him with determined ,yet stressed, eyes as she waited for his answer. He could also just be done with her entirely and give her the name of someone else who could help her. The second option was more than a little tempting. There was no reason why he should get himself involved in the affairs of these strangers. Karkat opened his mouth to respond, his mind made up that he would point her in the direction of someone who could possibly help her but as he went to speak she cut him off.

"Just bring me there now, I can't wait any longer." She paused a little unsure of herself "That's an order."

Karkat couldn't help the glare he gave her, he despised that word. "I don't have the time right now, I'm currently already doing a job for someone else my lady." His fingers twisted the glass vial in his pocket trying to figure out how much time he had wasted here.

"Then do your job quickly and take me. You're the only other sane person around. I've only seen people covered in that disturbing make-up all morning. This is an order serving boy."

He clenched his jaw together, the sound of his teeth grinding together far too loud in his own ears. At first he hadn't had an opinion on Nepeta but now he could practically feel his dislike for her growing as they stood there.

"Fine. You won't like this any better than seeing Kurloz though. I swear it." He began to turn around on his heel and continue on his way down the corridor, not caring if she followed him or not. Behind him he could hear a sigh of relief followed by small, quick steps right behind him.

"Thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 my lovelies~ Hopefully I didn't keep you guys waiting for this for too long. So this is the chapter we may start seeing some actually shippy moments between our lovely little couple. Fingers crossed I managed to get this right. Still worried I'm going to end up butchering their characters somehow. Also I noticed I've been spelling Meulin as Muelin in the past two chapters and oh god I hope you guys don't hate me for it. **

**I'd like to say a special thank you for those of you who took the time to review this or favorited it or anything of the sort. It means so much to me. ****Anyway without further ado here's chapter 3. Enjoy guys and don't forget to leave a little message in the review section. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Homestuck is property of Andrew Hussie, not me. **

* * *

It was odd being the one to lead, usually he was at least two or three steps behind whomever it was that he was with, his head lowered as to not draw any unwanted attention. But now he was in front, with his head up as he listened to Nepeta's hurried steps behind him as she struggled to keep up with his longer strides through the maze of halls they were going through together. It was odd to say the least. It wasn't as if he had never been in front of someone in his entire life but it never failed to be an odd sensation to him. He pushed the thought out of his head, now was not the time to be thinking about such trivial and pointless things like this. He had to get to Gamzee before his mood grew too sour to handle on his own. As his Moirail it was his job to keep the Indigo blood under control with making sure he got his daily doses of Soper Slime. Nepeta though had decided to waste far too many precious minutes by questioning him about the whereabouts of not only her sister but Kurloz as well. Gamzee was going to be getting more than just a little anxious by the time he got there. Gamzee wasn't going to be the only anxious one, he could practically feel the nerves coming off of Nepeta in waves. Karkat turned his head just enough to watch as she subtly twisted her hands together, her eyes flicking about her warily as if she expected someone to pop out from a corner and take her away or attempt to distract her from the mission she was holding in the front of her mind. Karkat had never had a sibling, never had someone even close to it so he didn't know how she was feeling but, from the look on her face he'd wager that it was a stomach churning emotion to be so worried about someone who you cared so much about.

"We're going straight to Kurloz, right?" He turned his head fully to look at her large green eyes as she stared back at him determinedly. There was a part of him that regretted having to tell her the truth, to have to further delay what she wanted from him. He pushed the thought out of his mind. Why should he ever feel guilt or regret for someone like her? For someone who would forget him the instant he was out of sight and she had gotten what she wanted.

"No." He answered simply after a short pause. "I have something more important to do first, I'll take you to him afterwards." Nepeta looked more than just a little shocked as he started walking again, her steps moving quicker as she caught up to him and tugged on his sleeve sharply.

"I thought you said you were taking me to Kurloz!" She snapped forcing him to look at her. "That's what you said you were doing, that's what I told you to do!" He could hear the panic and alarm in her voice as her she glared up at him. Karkat couldn't help but notice just how small she was now, barely reaching his shoulders even as she puffed herself up as big as she could get.

"I will take you to Kurloz just as I said, but first I have to see Gamzee, Moirail reasons. Important Moirail reasons." He stressed the point, his hand going back deep into his pocket to finger the little vial that of course was still there. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if he somehow managed to lose the damned thing, especially with the supposed shortage coming their way...

"How long is this going to take?" Nepeta crossed her arms as her eyes tightened as she looked up at him. "You made it sound like you were taking me right there."

"And I will take you right there right after this is done." He was growing frustrated with how stubborn she was acting. Why couldn't she just accept the fact that she would have to wait just a little longer to continue her desperate search for Meulin? Was two or three minutes really that big of a deal to her? Could her few minutes mean as much to her as his did to him? Somehow he doubted that. "The quicker you let me do this the quicker I can help you find your sister." He added hoping that the little line would help get the two of them moving once more. He could see the debate going on inside of her, to comply with him and try to get this over and done with as quickly as possible or to put her foot down on the matter entirely. She could scream and shout, she could hit him if she wanted and there was nothing he could do about it, not without getting in even more trouble himself. If she put her foot down he would have to listen to her, wouldn't he? The prospect made him nervous. The last time he had been late in getting to Gamzee with his Soper Slime there had been claw marks in the wooden bed frame. It wasn't something he ever wanted to walk in on again. Gamzee was one of the few people Karkat could say he actually cared about, maybe even the only person, but that didn't mean that the Juggalo didn't scare him. Clenching his jaw he tried not to think too much about the future and all the possible outcomes, he had to get through the present first before he could do anything else. He had learned long ago that dwelling on all the possibilities the future held would get him no where except for the dark, inescapable corners of his mind. Karkat's eyes flicked around the dim corridor as the candle light glimmered weakly around them, his eyes moving to settle on the olive blood who was biting down harshly on her lip with a concentrated look on her face. Finally it seemed that she made a decision as a small sigh left her and her shoulders slumped slightly.

"Five minutes. No more and no less, after that I'll be pulling you by your ear to do what I tell you." Karkat didn't doubt for a single second that she would make good on her threat. Reluctantly he nodded, knowing that five minutes would be just enough time to get the job done if everything went well. If not...well he'd just have to suffer the consequences of that now wouldn't he? He gave her a simple nod before indicating for her to follow him once more. They weren't too far away from Gamzee's rooms, just a few more turns and they would be there to the worn down door with the constant creaky hinges that always seemed to threaten to break whenever someone moved the door. It took less than a second for Nepeta's light footsteps to reach his ears as she followed him, moving in closer as the halls grew dimmer. None of the maids liked being down here meaning it was one of the least livable parts of the castle that could still be considered livable. Gamzee was really the only Troll down here and it never seemed as if he minded, he actually almost seemed to prefer it in fact.

"Where are we going? I don't think I've been down here befur...I mean before." He looked at her puzzled for a second wondering if he had heard her right the first time. Had she really said befur instead of before? Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue, no one really went around casually using animal puns in every day sentences did they? He had only ever encountered one other person who had done something like that in his life, except it was aquatic themed puns and he wasn't so sure that the youngest Ampora was perfectly sane to begin with.

"Gamzee's chambers." Karkat could feel her questioning look boring into his skull and he forced himself to not look. He knew she was trying to figure it out, how he could claim to be doing something for his Morrail but be going to Gamzee, someone of his high blood status filling a quadrant with a servant, a mutant, was unheard of. It wouldn't be the first time their odder than odd relationship was questioned by someone who didn't know their situation, how Karkat was the only one able to calm Gamzee down when he grew too wild to handle.

To his surprise, and pleasure, Nepeta didn't question it aloud and walked beside him in an almost comfortable silence for the last few turns of their walk to where he knew Gamzee would be at this time of day. When they reached the door he went to open it his muscle memory kicking in as he went to do an action that was as normal as breathing to him by this point, but he paused as his hand wrapped around the door handle.

"You don't have to come in if you don't want. It may be better if you don't my lady." It would probably be wise to remember his manners before she grew too annoyed with him, if she ranted to the wrong person about his behavior... Nepeta nodded quickly, taking two steps back from the door and standing with her back to the wall. He wasn't surprised. There were few people who would happily go skipping into the young juggalo's room if given the choice and by the way her voice had turned darker when she spoke of Kurloz it wouldn't be a big shock to find out that she felt the same way towards the younger of the two brothers. In the back of his mind he couldn't help but think of the rumor that her mother had hoped that Nepeta and Gamzee would become Matesprits, the woman was going to be extremely disappointed by the looks of it. Karkat gave Nepeta one last look as he pushed the door open, wincing at the high pitched creak that hurt his ears and made the small hairs on the back of his neck stand up right.

Karkat squinted into the sudden darkness as his eyes struggled to adjust. Just like always the heavy purple drapes were pulled over the windows, the flickering candles burned down to stubs as they threatened to be smothered in the darkness around them, the floor was littered with all manners of clutter ranging from clothes, books he never read, the occasional weapon he knew Gamzee didn't know how to use, instruments he had tried to learn how to play, religious items meant for ceremonies and the unnerving dolls with the shiny black eyes that made shivers run down his spine whenever he looked at them. Karkat tore his eyes away from the floor trying to make out the lump in the bed. He could barely make out the messy head of curly black hair poking out from beneath the covers as it turned to look at him, bright purple eyes seeming to glow in the darkness as Gamzee smiled at him, showing off his set of sharp teeth. Karkat returned the ridiculous big grin with a tight one of his own as he sat down on the edge of the bed. So far so good. He pulled out the tiny vial of Soper Slime from his pocket twisting it around in one hand as his other gripped the soft blankets of Gamzee's bed. He'd kill to be able to sleep in it for even an hour. Gamzee sat up his blankets slipping off his lanky shirtless form as he did, long fingers reaching out for the bright green liquid in Karkat's hands. Faster than he could blink Gamzee had unscrewed the top and chugged it down in one large swig, a tiny drop of lime spilling down his lips and dripping onto the sheets in his rush to get his fill. What was it like? To have all of your tensions slip so easily away from you at the single sip of the miraculous substance they called Soper Slime? What could produce something that could take away the nightmares of the Troll race? Karkat didn't know what it was made of, very few did know the answer to the carefully kept secret.

"Motherfucking miracle." Gamzee's voice was barely above a mumble as he wiped his mouth with the back if hand as he inspected the now empty glass. As he licked his lips Karkat could see the hint of green still on his tongue before it was gone again from view as he looked lazily over at him. "What kept you so long pale bro?" His voice was slurred as he kept up that lazy smirk of his, heavy lidded eyes looking ready to close and return back to sleep at any second. "Was beginning to get all tense again, those wicked thoughts creeping back up on me." His voice sounded serious for all of two seconds, face twisting darkly for the same length of time before returning back to normal. Just how close had Karkat come to letting his Moirail go off the rails again?

"One of your guests needed my help." Karkat answered simply wondering if Nepeta was listening in on their conversation, the door was still open a crack so it was possible. "She's looking for her sister Lady Meulin." He continued on. "Have you seen her around lately Gamzee? Maybe with Kurloz...?" He suggested watching as he could see Gamzee struggle to remember if he had or not. He honestly didn't believe that Gamzee would know anything that would be of much use on this wild goose chase but it couldn't hurt to ask.

"The long haired one? She's been all up and in Kurloz's space since she got here. Bro's up and loving it, says he's getting her to believe in our Messiahs, true believer at heart he claims." Karkat's heart skipped a beat, eyes flicking over to the door way wondering if Nepeta had heard that. If Meulin was anything at all like her younger sister picturing her becoming like the Makara's was a disturbing image. She had been full of smiles and polite words, always giggling behind her hand as she shared in the gossip of the people from her house whenever he had caught a glimpse of her. The thought was just so...wrong. If Nepeta hated Kurloz already for simply being around her sister too much, how much would her hatred for him grow by finding out that he was getting her sister into a cult like religion? Karkat looked back to Gamzee trying to figure out if there was anything else he could tell him but from the second he looked at his Moirail he knew there was no chance of that happening. Gamzee had fallen back into his pillows, long limbs stretching back over the bed as his breathing settled down and a serene look changed his face. He was out of it already. Trying not to make too much noise he left the room, squeezing through the door in the smallest amount of space possible as he was met with Nepeta's fury.

Before he could react she had taken him by the collar, choking him as she dragged him back the way they had come. He was coughing and spluttering as he twisted in her grip to try and break free. She was far stronger than she looked. Karkat almost struggled to keep up with her as she went as fast as her shoes and skirts would allow her to, gasping for breath as she finally let him free. She was livid. She also looked scared. Karkat reached forward pulling on her arm to force her to stop, he let go immediately as she turned on him looking as if she was about to hit him.

"Lady Nepeta, you're going the wrong way." Her eyebrow twitched, her skirts twisting as she turned sharply to go back the way they had come. "You're not going to find him like this you know." He matched her strides easily now that he had caught her attention.

"Then pray tell how am I suppose to find him right now? Are you actually going to take me there now or do I have to find someone else?"

It only took a second to decide. "Promise me you wont do anything rash. It's both our heads if you do. If you promise me that, I'll take you."

"I can not promise you anything right now. My sister is praying to the 'Mirthful Messiahs' and spending all of her time with a completely untrustworthy man who refuses to show his real face without any of that horrid make-up. How am I suppose to promise anything to anyone right now?" Her fists were clenched, arms shaking as she struggled to reign in her anger even the slightest. "I could go on with the hundreds of reasons I don't trust him but right now I don't have the time." She hissed at him, lowering her voices as the voices of others grew nearer. "Please. Do this one thing for me and I will never bother you again."

His eyes went to the place where he could hear the voices coming from as he nodded to her, knowing that by the end of the day he was going to deeply regret ever stopping at her call in the first place. "Follow me. I know a shortcut."

* * *

**Okay wow, that was a few hundred words longer than the last chapter and I probably broke every single rule about dialogue that my English teachers have ever told me but at last it's done to a standard that doesn't make me want to erase the whole thing. Again. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the third chapter and that it was worth the wait. I know not a whole lot happened in this one but the point of this chapter was a little foreshadowing and to get to see the beginnings of how Karkat and Nepeta will act around one another, also to try and work on my dialogue sections. So yeah here's to hopefully not butchering characters! Until next time folks~ **


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